Significantly, the Bill also provides for an automatic 10 per cent increase in penalties every three years to maintain deterrence without requiring legislative approval.

Among the Acts covered are the Tea Act, 1953, the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. These were partially decriminalised under the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023, which amended 183 provisions across 42 central Acts. The new Bill expands this agenda further.

The draft also introduces 67 amendments under the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Act, 1994 and the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. In NDMC’s case, the property tax regime will shift from the rateable value method to a unit area method, linking tax calculations to property size, usage, and location. Officials said this would simplify assessments, reduce discretion, and enhance compliance.

For the Motor Vehicles Act, the Bill proposes reforms such as state-wide vehicle registration instead of jurisdiction-specific limits, a 30-day grace period for licence renewals, renewal validity from the date of application even if delayed, and greater flexibility for tribunals to condone delays in claim filings of up to 12 months.

The introduction of the Bill came amid protests from Opposition parties, who demanded discussions on alleged irregularities in voter roll revisions in Bihar and other issues.